September 5,2005. Labor day. This week in the garden we are
counting our blessings, after witnessing the devastation left in
the wake of hurricane Katrina. We are left with a great sadness
for the countless lives that have been forever altered by this
horrific event. It reminds us of the frailty of our existence,
and reinforces our desire to live a more simple and more
sustainable lifestyle.

Freshly
canned organic tomatoes and marinara sauces are a favorite
in our household. Some of our friends think canning is too
much work, and prefer to freeze their produce instead. In
the event of a disaster that knocked out power for more than
a day or two, canned food would still be good. We also
save and rinse the seeds so that we will have acclimatized
organic tomato seed for next year.

We continue to harvest both culinary and medicinal 'leaf'
herbs. here my wife is drying spearmint and chocolate mint
that she blends with other herbs to make a soothing after
diner tea.

Cayenne pepper is not only a spicy seasoning. I has a number
of medicinal properties. Capsicum, its Latin name, is the
active ingredient in a number of commercially available
liniments. In parts of Africa, South America and the
Caribbean, Cayenne is used in the treatment of a number of
internal and external conditions. It does not irritate the
stomach as some people believe ( It can cause hic-ups which
may stir up other ingredients associated with spicy foods,
especially greasy meats). It has stimulant properties
without adverse side effects. This is one plant we would
never be without, Neither in our kitchen or our medicine
cabinet.

Mourning doves are a common site in backyards in New England.
Dove are one of the few visitors to the garden that feed almost
exclusively on seed. Many of the other species that congregate
around the bird feeder also enjoy snacking on insects as well as
seeds, thus alleviating the need to use harmful pesticides. We
don't begrudge the doves for their culinary preferences. All are
welcome in the garden.